


A Dire Disruption

by OhanaHoku



Series: A Fated Failure [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Aftermath, Aftermath of Suicide Attempt, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Blood, Blood and Injuy, Emotional, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Graphic Description, Graphic Description of Injuries, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Injury, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Major Character Injury, Near Death, One Shot, Post-Episode: s05e05 The Disir, Season/Series 05, Serious Injuries, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Worried Arthur, Worried Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Worried Elyan, Worried Elyan (Merlin), part of a series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 15:14:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22498156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhanaHoku/pseuds/OhanaHoku
Summary: “Sire!” Elyan burst into the room, eyes wide and fear etched on his face that Arthur had never seen in the brave knight.orArthur's council meeting is disrupted when Elyan bursts in with tragic news of Merlin's death.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: A Fated Failure [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1488776
Comments: 22
Kudos: 203





	A Dire Disruption

**Author's Note:**

> The last part of this series was so cute and this addition to the story is seriously so tragic. I feel like I'm constructing an emotional roller coaster for my readers to ride, which, I mean, is kind of the point, right? I had a little war with myself writing this, trying to decide which knight should tell Arthur. Elyan won! Triggers are in the tags, please read them first. Though the suicide scene is not described in this, the aftermath is, so please tread with caution! (AND PLEASE READ THE PRECEDING PARTS OF THIS SERIES BEFORE READING THIS ONE!)
> 
> Disclaimer: While I have written about suicide, I do not condone or encourage suicide, nor do I wish anyone ever to take their own lives. Please, if you deal with suicidal thoughts or tendencies, talk to someone. If not a friend or family member, then call the suicide hotline where you live and get help, please. I've put a link below that has a list of numbers for various countries where you can talk to someone about the way you feel, without any repercussions or judgement. Please consider this and take the first step to feeling better.  
> [Suicide Hotlines](http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html)

“We suspect the bandit’s camp to be somewhere in this area here,” Arthur said, pointing to a spot on the map near the border between Camelot and Mercia.

The few members of the council that were gathered leaned over the map. Lord Ulcan pointed to a thin line on the parchment. “This path is likely the one they’ve been traveling on. It’s little used, and a good portion of it was washed away in the storms last year. It has yet to be fixed, due to the inactivity.”

King Arthur nodded, arms crossed, and one hand laid thoughtfully against his chin. “From the reports we’ve received, there are about a dozen men in their group. They don’t seem to be particularly skilled, however, so a few knights should be e-”

“Sire!” Elyan burst into the room, eyes wide and fear etched on his face that Arthur had never seen in the brave knight.

“Elyan, what is it?” Arthur asked, already moving away from the table and walking to the door.

Elyan, out of breath from running through the castle, leaned on the door as he inhaled deeply before answering, looking up at Arthur with terror in his eyes. “It’s Merlin.”

*************************

A pale-faced king ran from the chambers with not a word to his council. His heart raced as his feet pounded the stone floors, the steady slap of Elyan’s lighter steps behind him. It couldn’t be real. Merlin could not be dead.

“Merlin!" Arthur flew into the courtyard, pushing a few people out of the way with no regard for the way they stumbled and struggled to stay on their feet.

His eyes lit on his manservant, and the world seemed to stop, his body freezing up as he stood there like a statue, his eyes wide and horrified.

Lying on the pavement was his best friend, a steady pool of blood spreading out from under him and a blank gaze in his blue eyes.

“Merlin…” Arthur whispered, moving forward with stilted steps. Merlin’s body was twisted in ways that were by no definition natural. His left leg bent at the knee and crumpled beneath him, his other leg and right arm were both mangled, bloody messes that almost resembled human limbs, and his left arm was bent at a place that was most definitely not a joint, a jagged segment of bone jutting out of his skin. There was a dark patch of red on his left side, and a big scrape covering the right side of his face.

Everyone was standing around, some crying and others just staring in shock. None seemed to have the guts to approach the figure on the ground. None except Arthur, who slowly moved to Merlin’s side, kneeling down next to him.

The blood soaked into his trousers, warm and viscous, making the monarch’s stomach churn in disgust and dread. Merlin had fallen from the battlements. There was no way someone could survive a fall from that height. Still… He couldn’t accept that Merlin was dead.

He reached forward, his hand shaking as he pressed his fingers to Merlin’s neck. “Come on, Merlin. Come on.” He whispered, pressing his fingers against his skin harder, searching for a pulse.

All his breath left him in a rush. There. A pulse. Weak and barely strong enough to push against Arthur’s fingers, but it was there, pulsing steadily. “He’s alive!” He shouted, a startled grin spreading across his face.

Those around him gasped, and Arthur turned to look at his knight. “Elyan! Go get Gaius. Now!”

The knight hurried to do as told, wiping at his face as he ran to the tower. Meanwhile, Arthur hesitantly pressed a hand to the wound on Merlin’s side, the only place he could think to put pressure on to stop the bleeding without making his friend’s condition worse.

“Stay with me, Merlin. Stay with me.” He murmured, his other hand moving of its own volition to thread his fingers through Merlin’s hair.

  
_Don’t leave me, please._

**Author's Note:**

> Word Count - 667. So yeah. I'm evil, but there is hope for Merlin yet! So what do you guys think? Is Merlin going to live? Does anyone know or realize that Merlin tried to take his own life? And where are the other knights? Have they heard of Merlin's "death" yet? Let me know your thoughts and hopes for this! I hope you all have a lovely day!
> 
> Check out my [tumblr](https://ohanahoku-ao3.tumblr.com/)


End file.
